“Those are the best guarantees that the candidacy of Filip Vujanovic will have the widest support of the DPS's political partners, and of other social and political subjects as well,” the party stated.

The SDP has been part of every Djukanovic-led pre-election coalition since 1998, and, as a result, it has also been a part of every Montenegrin government.

Vujanovic's nomination is contested because he has already served as president twice and the constitution does not permit a third mandate.

But advocates of Vujanovic running again say his first presidential mandate does not count, as it coincided with when Montenegro formed part of a joint state with Serbia.

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After leading rebel fighters in Croatia and starring in his own TV show in Serbia, Dragan Vasiljkovic eventually lost his bitter struggle against extradition from his adopted homeland Australia and was convicted of war crimes.